Clone wars fought in Norfolk

Thursday, June 30, 2011
5:49 PM

Our area may be bucking the trend when it comes to its towns losing their individual identity but there have been epic battles to stop multi-national chain stores impinging on shopping areas over the years.

People in Sheringham put up a 14-year fight to stop Tesco opening a store in the town while Norwich residents did their best to stop the supermarket giant opening a branch in the city’s Golden Triangle.

A number of national and regional campaign groups have also been set up to try to scale back the power of supermarkets.

Recent figures suggest that there will be 20pc more supermarket space in Britain by 2014.

That is equivalent to 350 football pitches-worth of new Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer stores.

Supermarkets are also said to sell 97pc of the nation’s food with the “big four” chains – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons – accounting for 76pc.

Next to the motor car, nothing else is said to have so radically changed the look and texture of the UK’s environment over the last half-century.

But while some communities have opposed supermarkets where they live, others have welcomed them.

The people of Southwold recently welcomed news of plans for a Tesco Express in the town although the town council recommended Waveney planners to refuse two parts of its application – namely the installation of illuminated signs and roof-mounted air conditioning units.

Meanwhile, plans for a Tesco store in Halesworth, which were rejected last year, divided the town.

Here we take a look at some of the area’s high-profile battles against supermarket chains.

Sheringham

Many people from Sheringham put up a strong fight against Tesco’s plans for a store in their town but after 14 years of trying, the supermarket giant and its supporters eventually won the battle last year.

The current plans, for a store in Cromer Road, were passed in October last year after a five-hour debate.

Work is expected to start in spring 2012 and will take about eight months to complete.

But even though the battle may be lost, there is still much to be done in Sheringham – this month a new campaign was launched to lure more shoppers to the town.

The Sheringham Looking Forward Group, drawn from the chamber of trade, town council and Upcher Community Partnership, is drawing up a raft of ideas on how the traders can “refresh and bolster the retail offer” before Tesco’s impending arrival.

Independent chairman Ian Doughty said: “We want to get people’s attention on a positive opportunity rather than the negativity of the supermarket debacle.

“It’s a question of making Sheringham a better retail experience. Virtually every town has got a supermarket. We need to make sure the impact is positive and the Sheringham retail offer will strengthen.”

Unthank Road, Norwich

The Unthank Road application, which was granted permission in early 2009 and opened in July last year, was the subject of a five-year battle with campaigners claiming it would kill off the independent shops along the other side of the street.

It was only given planning permission after Tesco launched a planning appeal after four applications were turned down by members of the city council planning committee.

A planning inspector was not convinced at the arguments used to refuse permission – saying he did not think the new store would lead to traffic problems in the street.

Nearly one year on, traders have said that the new Tesco has not had an impact on their business and that it has enhanced the area.

Robin Knell, of Spurgeon’s Butchers in Unthank Road, said: “We’ve been busier since it opened and it makes the street look better rather than an empty patch of ground.

“We’ve got loyal customers, a few of them use Tesco but they still come to us.”

Tescopoly

Set up in 2005, the alliance, made up of national organisations, highlights and challenges the negative impacts of supermarkets’ behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment.

The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.

Although called Tescopoly, it is not an anti-Tesco campaign – the term identifies the phenomenon of growth in the supermarket sector.

Jacqui Mackay, national co-ordinator of Banana Link, which is one of the founding members of Tescopoly and has offices in Norwich, said: “If supermarkets are going to be the primary provider of our food, it’s vital that the government regulates how they behave.

“They fulfil such an important role in lives of people in the UK and have direct impact on millions of lives in the developing world.

“The problem is that if you have unregulated power and growth, there will be a stage when people will have no choice but to buy food from supermarkets.

“We should have a choice about where we buy food from and how to buy our food, it should not be in the hands of private companies who want to make money.

“No one denies that supermarkets have some benefits but surely there’s a way forward where people can source food without having to empoverish communities and farmers in this country and abroad. All the alliance is asking is that the supermarkets’ power is used responsibly and that growth is not to continue unregulated.”